Use of Hand-held Electronic Devices and Social Media in the Chamber (Backbench Business) — 13 Oct 2011 at 15:24

The majority of MPs voted against restricting the use of electronic devices in the House of Commons chamber in a manner which would have prevented MPs from using Twitter and other social media sites during debates.

Those MPs who voted "aye" were voting against allowing MPs to tweet from the commons chamber.

That this House notes the Third Report from the Procedure Committee on Use of hand-held electronic devices in the Chamber and committees, HC 889; and resolves that hand-held devices (not laptops) may be used in the Chamber, provided that they are silent, and used in a way that does not impair decorum, that Members making speeches in the Chamber or in committee may refer to electronic devices in place of paper speaking notes and that electronic devices, including laptops, may be used silently in committee meetings, including select committees.

The division was on making the following, rejected, amendment:

leave out from ‘Chamber’ to end and add ‘to a minimal extent, silently and with decorum, to receive and send urgent messages, as a substitute for paper speaking notes and to refer to documents for use in debates, but not for any other purpose.’.

The original, unammended, motion, was subsequently passed by the house without at vote.

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